Photofinishing of photographic images can be provided by many different techniques depending upon the nature of the photographic film or other image unit used and the desired output. It is convenient to define techniques by what are sometimes referred to as “channels”. For example, with film, each channel differs by the chemistry of the type of film that is photofinished in that channel. With film types such as Type 135 (35 mm), the channel is indicated by a DX code that is provided on the outside of the film cartridge. Subchannels can be provided within each channel. Subchannels differ in features of chemical processing, digital processing or both relative to a default feature set. Subchannels other than the default, are optional.
Photofinishing of digital images on memory units is comparable to the photofinishing of film, particularly when the images are input to a system for later delivery without further user interaction. For example, this applies to memory units input into a photofinishing minilab, without editing or other changes. The result is ordinarily the provision of output according to a default subchannel.
FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art system 200. An image unit 204 in the form of a film cartridge is input at an entry station 206. Channel information 202, such as a DX code, is detected on a photographic film image unit 204 using a detector 205. The channel information is sent to the controller or control unit 208. The filmstrip 210 of the film unit 204 is chemically processed in a development unit 212, in accordance with the channel information. The developed filmstrip 210 is scanned with a scanner 213 and a bitstream 214 of images is sent to the controller 208, which provides fulfillment instructions for the images, in accordance with a default subchannel 216. The illustrated output device 218 is a printer and the output 220 is a color print. The system 200 has a reader 222, which can be used with a digital image unit (not illustrated) to produce like results.
One approach to variable photofinishing is presented by the Advanced Photography System™, which provides for user selection of prints with different aspect ratios. This approach requires specialized cameras and other equipment and provides a limited and fixed variety of different outputs.
Another approach, disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0090572, to Belz et al., is use of a specialized digital file to transmit subchannel information. This approach also requires use equipment that can create the file.
A simple approach to accessing other subchannels, which has low cost and minimal impact on existing default subchannels, is desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,018, to Lawther, proposes a method in which a DX code indicates that a particular roll of film is intended for both a particular channel and a particular subchannel that provides prints in multiple formats, such as pseudo panoramic and pseudo zoom. A camera with the multiple format capability places a second code within the image area of individual image frames to indicate which pseudo format print is desired for an individual frame. The photofinisher reads the DX code indicating the film channel and subchannel and then reads the codes for each frame. The code selecting the particular format must be present in the image area of the particular frame, or that image will be printed as a standard full-frame image. A shortcoming of this approach is that the DX is limited to the particular subchannel and a special camera is required to apply the codes in the image frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,752, to Petruchik, discloses a film cartridge that uses a data frame positioned near the trailer end of the filmstrip to designate a set of prerecorded images for compositing. This method uses a special camera to place marks on the film. These marks make selections from the prerecorded image set identified by the data frame. This method requires a specialized camera, but the data frame can be scanned by digital photofinishing equipment using the same scanner that is used for scanning other film frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,429,924, to Milch, is similar to Petruchik, but has a data frame in the form of an image of a pattern at each end of the filmstrip. The pattern, when scanned during photofinishing, indicates that metadata for individual frames is present within the portion of the filmstrip bearing the sequence of images.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,628,895, to Fredlund et al., discloses a method for capturing a single data frame on a film unit within a camera by photographing a card bearing information for the data frame.
In photofinishing using data frames, every image unit could be checked for the presence of a data frame. This would consume a large amount of processing time and would be wasteful for image units that lacked a data frame.
It would thus be desirable to provide improved methods and systems, in which the presence of a data frame on an image unit is ascertained simply and efficiently.